The Penn Theater ~ 2023

Work is going on inside. 

Photo: Barbara Bloom

Butler Airport ~ Across from Deshon Hospital

 1940

Bill May ~ BHS '77 ~ Butler Historian

 Bill May brings history, and especially Butler history, home to appreciative listeners. 

                                                   Photo: Butler Eagle

Bruce Yuhas BHS '70 ~ Butler Author

 Bruce Yuhas has been writing semi-autobiographical novels based on his life while growing up in Butler.

Purchase

Carl Yankowski BHS '66

† May 13, 2023

Butler mourns the passing of Carl Yankowski : an excellent businessman who over his thirty–year career worked for such well–known brands as Proctor & Gamble, Memorex, PepsiCo, General Electric, Cadbury Schweppes, Polaroid, and Sony. His last engagement was with Palm, Inc., the leader of the handheld computing industry.                                                                                                                                                        Photo: Wikipadia

David Pichler ~ attended BHS ca.'86 ~ Olympic Diver

David Pichler was born in Butler, Pennsylvania. He began diving at the age of 15. At 32 he had won 12 national titles and was generally considered a threat in international competition, He was on the national team since 1989, and competed in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.

                                                     Photo: Outsports

Natili's

 Greatly missed !

Cozy Corner ~

 Never went by without stopping in. 

Cherrie Mahan's Mother ~ Persistant Hope

 The Butler Eagle

23 February 2023

Deshon Hospital ~ 1942

 

Deshon VA Hospital 1942

My father (R) was a pharmacist at Deshon. He sometimes remarked of his time at Deshon General that "We fought the battle of the Airport Inn." Obviously, a reference to nights spent dancing and partying. My question is: does anyone know the exact name and location of the place my Dad referred to as the "Airport Inn"? Perhaps it was on or near Airport Rd. Does it exist any more?

Thanks,

David Meisner

Koch Building ~

Waymarking

Butler architect F.J. Porter, who designed the home of George Troutman

(now City Hall) and the First Methodist Episcopal Church, also designed 

this 1910 neo-classical revival building.

Butler Author ~ Kathleen Marie Smith

 Her latest book has just been published.

The Singing Sheriff of Baltimore

BHS ~ The Cinderella Staircase

Cranberry Eagle

How many of us went up these steps? 

November 22, 1963 ~ J.F.K. - Walter Cronkite Tribute

 

CBS

"It is said that the human mind has a greater capacity for remembering the pleasant than the unpleasant. But today was a day that will live in memory and in grief. Only history can write the importance of this day: Were these dark days the harbingers of even blacker ones to come, or like the black before the dawn shall they lead to some still as yet indiscernible sunrise of understanding among men, that violent words, no matter what their origin or motivation, can lead only to violent deeds? This is the larger question that will be answered, in part, in the manner that a shaken civilization seeks the answers to the immediate question: Who, and most importantly what, was Lee Harvey Oswald? The world’s doubts must be put to rest. Tonight there will be few Americans who will go to bed without carrying with them the sense that somehow they have failed. If in the search of our conscience we find a new dedication to the American concepts that brook no political, sectional, religious or racial divisions, then maybe it may yet be possible to say that John Fitzgerald Kennedy did not die in vain. That’s the way it is, Monday, November 25, 1963. This is Walter Cronkite, good night."

Elm Court ~ Visitors at a Fundraiser

Butlerites welcome their chance to visit. 

Article in the Butler Eagle

 

Marc Fogel BHS '80 ~ Prisoner in Russia

Marc Fogel is a Butler native. He taught high school history in Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Venezuela and, for the last decade, at the Anglo-American School in Moscow. He had planned to retire this year with his wife Jane Fogel in Oakmont.  

Marc Fogel, 61, has been held in Russia for just over a year. He was detained at an airport upon returning for the school year when his luggage was found to contain medical marijuana, which was recommended by a doctor to treat severe chronic pain from his history of spinal surgeries.

Marc was found guilty of “large-scale drugs smuggling” in June and sentenced to 14 years in a high-security penal colony. 

Marc Fogel remains detained in a Russian prison despite recent calls to free him.  His family now fears the worst because of his debilitating spinal pain and the fact he's being moved to a hard-labor colony.                                                                                                                                              KDKA

Petition to free Marc Fogel

Please sign

BHS Football ~ 2022 ~ 4W - 7 L

 

08/26 BHS 35 [W] - Shaler - 28

09/02 BHS 14 [L] - Meadville - 21

09/09 BHS 35 [W] - Brashear - 22

09/16 BHS 40 [W] - Hollidaysburg - 20

09/23 BHS 37 [W] - Erie - 20

09/30 BHS 07 [L] - Seneca Valley - 42

10/07 BHS 06 [L] - Westinghouse - 39

10/14 BHS 14 [L] - Erie Cathedral - 40

10/21 BHS 24 [L] - Eire McDowell - 48

10/28 BHS 14 [L]  - Latrobe - 28

11/04 BHS 07 [L} - Erie McDowell - 62

  

Paul Gaudino ~ BHS '53 ~ 35 Years of Butler Fitness

† September 6, 2022

You kept us, and later the nation, in shape. Thanks, Paul, for all those years of discipline and dedication.

J. B. Sherman ~ Butler Car Maker ~ Star Iron Works

J.B. Sherman built two automobiles in his Star Iron Works. 

Here a letter to his daughter. [Click to enlarge]

Thanks: Jeff Schalles 

More Information

Michael Dittman ~ Butler Author

Amazon

Michael Dittman is an instructor of humanities and social sciences at Butler County Community College. His most recent book is entitled "Who Holds the Devil".

James Zambroski ~ BHS '71

James Zambroski's cancer diagnosis couldn't derail him from getting his health back on track.

His story.

Michelle Vargo ~

                                  Linkedin

Michelle is a professional dancer who has been gracing the stage of the Metropolitan Opera for 24 years!

Butler Scrap Drive ~ 1943

 Thanks: Dennis Moffitt

Click on image to enlarge

Koch Hardware ~

The store that opened, mornings, before all the others.

 

Harry Greenburger BHS '88

Harry is a filmmaker in New York now and has produced his second feature film "Here After". 

Memorial Day Tribute ~ 2022

 With thanks we remember. 

Butler Catholic School ~

Originally named St. Paul's School 
Built by 
Msgr. William J. Spiegel

Circa 1950

Ticket on Main Street ~

Photo: Butler Historical Society

 

Corey Daum ~ BHS ' 87

✝ 2009

Corey played lead guitar and toured with the band Lizzy Borden.

Butler's Excellent Schools ~ St. Paul's School

A fifth grade class in Butler, 1963.

Larkin & Co. ~

Thanks: Lucille Larkin

An important Butler company that serviced the early oil wells in our area.

 

Our Midget Football League ~

 Photo: Michael Stillwagon

Penn Street Cardinals  1972

Click on image to enlarge

Sisters of Mercy ~ St. Paul's School

St. Paul's Convent

Sister Mary Scholastica
Sr. Mary Salome
Sr. Mary Alban
Sr. Mary Raymond
Sr. Mary Luella
Sr. Mary Ethelreda
Sr. Mary Patrice
Sr. Mary Theodore
Sr. Mary Inez
Sr. Mary Fidelis
Sr. Mary Edmund

Shane Alexander ~ BHS '88 ~ Skyway Drive-in

 

Photo: Facebook

Shane Alexander is a contemporary American singer-songwriter and musician. 

Listen to his Butler song. 

Skyway Drive-in

 

St. Paul's School ~ 1963 ~ Fifth Grade

A List of my pupils in Class 5 

Adamsky, Barbara

Bellis, James

Birchbichler, Nancy

Birchbichler, Rosemary

Bohan, Denis

Campbell, Janet

Conerty, Paula

Davis, Phyllis

Dorcy, Suzanne

Duffy, Dennis

Ference, Nadine

Fogel, Randall

Forcht, Joanne

Fredette, Jean

Frissora, Gordon

Gallagher, Debra

Garber, Barry

Geibel, William

Green, Jane

Henricks, Kathleen

Hovis, Susan

Jewell, Timothy

Johns, Mary

Johnson, Sandra

Johnston, Kathy

Kaylor, Thomas

Koehler, Scott

Langland, Mary Theresa

Lucas, Mary Ann

McClelland, Vicky

McCloskey, Sheila

Mahler, Marianne

Nocera, James

Nolan, Dennis

Rehm, Thomas

Rhodeburgher, Gary

Schaffner, Jean

Schreffler, Kenneth

Sherman, Eleanor

Tanaka, Anne

Thoma, Patricia

Thompson, Patricia

Tiberi, Susan

Toth, Janet

Vero, Denise

Waldron, Janet

Zambroski, James

St. Paul School ~ 1963

They are now the backbone of Butler, 

or of a city of their choice.

For the Sandy Hook Grade School Pupils ~

A Tribute to Sandy Hook

We could be a happy class back in 1963 and today we are all grown up and have children of our own. We want you to know we are mourning for yours. Our hearts share your sadness.

St. Paul School,  Fifth Grade. [See comment 8 for list of pupils.]

A Sandy Hook Remembrance

Keith Vargo ~ BHS '88

Keith Vargo is a writer, researcher, martial arts instructor, and fighter based in Tokyo. He was a columnist and Japan correspondent for Black Belt magazine for nearly 20 years.

    Homepage

Oak Street ~

 

Photo: Jack McGrogan

Sledding on Oak Street

Skyway Drive-in Theater ~

Photo: American Classic Images

In the 1950s this was a hit, especially for teenagers.
Read reminiscences of Bob Osborn BHS '58. 

Back in the 1950's Butler Co. had six Drive-in Theaters, Chicora Drive-in (Rt 268), Geibel's Drive-in (Rt 68 East), Hill Top Drive-in (Rt 68 East), Skyway Drive-in (Rt 68 West), Sunset View Drive-in (Freeport Hill) and the Pioneer Drive-in (Rt 8 North).

Song by Shane Alexander BHS '88 entitled: 

Skyway Drive-in

The Butler Pool ~ 2021

 Photo: Jackie Bullman

A House on Belmont Road ~

 Thanks: James Zambroski

Sisters of Mercy ~ St. Paul's School

 

Other Sisters of Mercy who served at St. Paul's School:

[List composed by Fr. John Dillon] 

Sr. M. Sebastian

Sr. M. Annette

Sr. M. Reginald

Sr. M. Priscilla

Sr. Miriam Rita

Sr. M. Jolitta

Sr. M. Ann Joachim

Sr. M. Stephanie

Sr. M. Dorothea

Sr. Norbert Marie

Sr. M. Avila

Sr. M. Giuseppe

Sr. M. Patrice

Sr. M. Stella Maris

Sr. M. Clotilde

Sr. M. Giles

Sr. M. Annrita

Sr. M. Campion

Sr. M. Wendelin

Sr. M. Cornelia

Sr. Paula Mary

Sr. M. Sophia

Sr. Marisita

Sr. M. Evangelista

Sr. M. Damian

Sr. M. David

Christmas on Main Street~

 Thanks: Fred Vero

Daniel D’Aniello BHS ' 64

Forbes

A successful Butler businessman who is one of three billionaire founders of the private equity firm 

The Carlyle Group.

A Tribute from Butler, Pa. ~ 58 Years Ago

upi

J.F.K.

23 November 1963

Grief came flooding in

over every hill,

down all our streets

right into the heart of town,

the day the President was shot,

insisting that he lie in state

here with us

for three days and nights,

until they came

with a caisson,

behind which

a veiled mourner

with children walked,

taking him as we watched

out across the viaduct

and on up over

our steepest hill

until we lost them

from sight.

Then silence hung long over our town

until the morning the rains ceased

when we woke to sun

breaking through dark clouds,

and looking up we saw gently rippling Vs

against the emblazoned sky

and heard flocks of wild geese

calling down to us

to rise up, to carry on.

With spirits gladdened

we set to removing flowers

and the portraits from off the streets,

candles and lamps were gathered

from curbs and fences

and then we stripped the trees

of those long black ribbons

that during those days of grief

had been fluttering in the breeze.

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